


Height

by hjea



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M, Gen, Pete's World, heights, human problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-01
Updated: 2012-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-31 23:26:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/349491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hjea/pseuds/hjea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>”No, that's not it... that's too kind. It's not the urge to jump, it's deeper than that. It's the urge to fall!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Height

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 09/20/08.

“Doctor, come on!” Rose raced further around the observation deck, trying to keep the escaping Gaske in view. She glanced back over her shoulder, expecting to see the Doctor in close step behind her. He wasn’t.   
  
“Doctor?” Rose turned fully around.   
  
“Rose.” He was standing still, hands gripping the railing, staring down at the 60 or so storeys below them. “I. Can’t. Move.”   
  
“Huh?” Rose blinked. “Do you glue yourself or something?”   
  
“No.” The Doctor’s voice was tense. “I can’t move, I can’t move because of the…” he gulped, “height.”   
  
“The height.” Rose echoed, completely bemused.  
  
“Yes, the height!” He spat out. “It must be Donna – the Donna in me. Our first few adventures she always seemed to end up hanging for dear life from some height and now – my, my heart’s  _pounding_  somewhere in my throat,” he gestured with one hand, seemed to immediately regret it, and clung once more to the railing, “my eyes are swimming and I can’t move--”   
  
“Okay, okay,” Rose stepped towards him, hands outstretched, “You’ll be okay, Doctor. Just, don’t look down anymore. Look at me, yeah? Only at me.”   
  
The Doctor blinked, slowly, and then his eyes met hers. “I’m not afraid of heights, Rose. I know I’m not.”   
  
“I know,” Rose spoke soothingly and reached her hand out to wrap around his tightened knuckles. “It’s… it’s just a human thing, an instinct. We’ve all got it. You’re just new to it, is all. The fear of falling.”   
  
“Or the urge to.” He whispered, seemingly to himself.  
  
“So, you just got to take my hand,” Rose tugged his into hers, and he let her. “Close your eyes and take a big breath.”   
  
Clutching her hand like a new lifeline, the Doctor’s eyes fluttered shut. He took one great shuddering breath and was still.   
  
“Doctor?” Rose squeezed his fingers. “That better?”   
  
His eyes suddenly popped open. He glanced down, looked back at her, and grinned.  “You’re a miracle worker, you are.”   
  
“Nah.” Rose beamed. “I’m just your local how-to-be human expert.”   
  
“Mmm hmm.” The Doctor nodded approvingly and stepped forward jauntily, hand still twined around hers. “Maybe you could write me a manual. Filled with all the new things I’ve got to look out for.”   
  
Rose stuck her tongue out playfully. “Not enough paper in the world.” 


End file.
